How To Make Store-Bought Frosting Better

It is indeed true when we say that anything we get instantly is more convenient compared to ones that we do by hand. In terms of its quality, texture, color, or even its taste, it is certainly better. As much as possible, we always aim to extend its shelf-life because of its practicality. Instant satisfaction is a must for most. Life made easier is therefore a positive goal that everyone is aiming for. This is also the same when it comes to frosting. Most people concluded that the store-bought frosting is more appetizing than the homemade ones if we’re going to talk about the flavor, accessibility, color, or the reliability.

Cakes and cupcakes must have frostings to make them taste better and look better as well. If you have a busy lifestyle, the thought of making a cake and frosting would undoubtedly require much time and effort. The box cakes are better, but the frosting needs to be improved. For most people store bought frosting is too sweet and hard to spread on a cake. Although it is not precisely branded, most of the tub frostings are measured buttercream frosting, except for those exactly categorized as cream cheese. This quick and easy guide will give you some tips and ideas how to make store-bought frosting better. Let’s see what we need to get started. Here’s how:

FIRST TIP: Get Your Tools Prepared Accordingly

It is essential to have at least five (5) necessary tools to aid you in ensuring that your store-bought frosting will taste better. In this guide, you will be given tips for each specific tool as mentioned.

As considered likely with measuring cups, measuring spoons are also necessary for precise measurements of ingredients in considerably small amounts. While it is true that some ingredients can be used without calculating (like adding salt and pepper to taste, as the final seasoning), most recipe components need to be correctly measured so as not to ruin the taste of the recipe.

Measuring cups and spoons are compulsory in most recipes as the ingredients (dry and wet) need to be measured appropriately. The accurate amount and combination of ingredients will significantly affect its taste.

Mixing bowls are importantly needed for combining ingredients conveniently. For the best know-how in culinary, it would be intelligent to have different sizes of mixing bowls. This way, you can always use a mixing bowl with enough room to hold all the ingredients in your recipe.

It is your choice to whether use a stand mixer or a hand mixer when combining certain ingredients (depending on the recipe). Unrequired to roundabout, using a stand mixer will return quicker and smoother results while using a hand mixer will require more time and energy as usual.

SECOND TIP: Guaranteeing A Solid Consistency

To increase the consistency of store bought frostings, there always have been three (3) recommended ingredients on hand – powdered sugar, milk or water, and jams. The important of each will be thoroughly discussed as follows:

Powdered Sugar

Apart from adding sweetness, powdered sugar can also solidify soft frosting (which store bought products usually are). Just add about ¼ cup of powdered sugar to every pack of store bought frosting and you’ll end up with a thicker consistency. It would be enhanced, though, to increase a small amount of sugar at a time so as to make sure that you are achieving your desired uniformity precisely.

Water or Milk

By means of using milk in frostings, it is definitely healthier than using water (since milk is tastier and creamier) – nonetheless, water (distilled or purified) can also be used if there’s no milk around. These liquid ingredients can be used for diminishing the consistency of frosting (given the condition if it appears to be too thick). Again, the thinning process should be done carefully by adding about the ½ teaspoon of the liquid ingredient at a time.

Sweet Jams

Using jams is an additional palatable way to add thickness to a thin and soft frosting mixture. They surely come in different flavors, so use the one that will complement the frosting that you’re using.

Please take note that when you are in the process of modification the consistency of frosting, use a stand mixer, a hand mixer or a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to do the work. The goal is to mix the ingredients thoroughly so as to achieve your desired result. Here’s how:

Step 1: Empty the room temperature tub of frosting into a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup of powdered sugar and mix with a hand or stand mixer.

Step 2: Put a spatula into the middle of the frosting and check for the right consistency.

Important: Take note that you want the frosting to be thick enough to allow the spatula to stand by itself but not so thick that it causes the mixer to overheat. It’s better to be too soft then too thick so avoid adding too much. The main thing to remember is that you don’t want the frosting so soft that the spatula consistently falls to the side of the bowl.

Step 3: Continue to add powdered sugar a little at a time until you get the consistency that you want.

THIRD TIP: Refining The Color Intensity

The color of frosting can make a cake or cupcake more tempting or less pleasing (as the case may be). If you want to change the color or shade of the frosting you’re working on, you can use food coloring. Basically, there are 2 types of food coloring – artificial and natural. Essentially, artificial food colorings and dyes have long been cast-off in food recipes. However, since these are obtained from artificial ingredients, they contain chemicals that are found to be harmful to health. While they are not toxic in small amounts, recurrent consumption can build up inside the body and cause health problems in the future.

Natural Food Coloring

Naturally-made food coloring has developed more common now as people are becoming more aware of the damaging effects of artificial coloring. These are made from vegetable juices and spices or a combination of both. If given the option of selecting between artificial and natural food coloring, go for the benign choice.

The most favorable approach here is therefore, is to add a little (just a drop) at a time. After adding a drop, combine the frosting well to see how it looks like. You can always add another drop if you still want to improve on the color whenever preferred.

FOURTH TIP: Improving The Taste Of The Frosting

This tip is by far the most important among the rest. Needless to say, the taste of the frosting is as significant as its appearance. So, before finally decorating cakes and cupcakes with frostings, make sure that it tastes really good. If not, you should fix this first by following any of the methods below.

Adding Cream Cheese

Putting cream cheese to a frosting mixture will make it smoother and full of flavor. Also, if the frosting turns out to be very sweet, cream cheese will be able to tone down this sweetness.

Adding Extra Flavor

For mild tasting frostings, you can complement flavor extracts for a quick and easy fix. Flavor extracts are cheap and they come in many different flavors like vanilla, chocolate, orange, banana, blueberry, etc. They are easy to use and a little goes a long way, so add sparingly so as not to overwhelm the flavor of your frosting. Also, they are naturally made and safe to use on food.

Adding Yummy Jams

This ingredient is one of a kind, as you can add this ingredient when working on the consistency of frosting, right? Well, here’s another reason why you should always have jammed on hand – they can be used to enhance the taste of frostings.

Your Choice of Nuts

Nuts taste really good in pastries. Of course, nuts not only to cakes and cupcakes but to the frosting as well. Adding nuts like macadamia, pistachio, walnuts, hazelnuts, etc. will surely make frostings taste a lot improved. You can even add chopped nuts as toppings on frostings – they will add a plea to the appearance of these delightful desserts.

As a finale tip, it is highly suggested to whip the store-bought frosting in an electric mixer if you want to double its volume. The frosting expands in size as the air gets incorporated into the ingredients. As soon as the volume doubles, stop to avoid over mixing, this can create lumps on the frosting.

There you go! This article just presented you how to improve the quality of store-bought frostings. Of course, if you’re feeling more daring, you can even make your own frostings and icings. Try it now!

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How To Make Store-Bought Frosting Better

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How to make store-bought frosting better. This quick and easy guide will give you some tips and ideas how to make store-bought frosting better.

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